TomTom Go 740 Live review

TomTom has been making a song and dance about its new Live system, with good reason.

After trying its features, it's clear Live is the future of satellite navigation. There are three Live models: the 540, 740 and 940. All have the same Live functions, but the 740's European maps make it the best value of the three.

The secret to Live is a built-in Vodafone mobile data connection. This means you get a supercharged traffic update system called HD Traffic. This provides proactive route change suggestions based on real-time conditions. It is the best implementation we've ever seen of traffic information.

The Live system also uses its mobile data connection to download current pricing for petrol stations. You have to do this manually for each specific type of fuel, but after that calling up the POI category will list nearby retailers by price, so you can always find the cheapest pumps. You can plan the stops on a long route accordingly.

The speed camera database is enhanced by Live. Updates arrive courtesy of Road Angel every three minutes, so you'll always know about the locations of mobile cameras as well as fixed ones. One of the best features is Google Local Search, which allows you to find obscure POIs by name, knowing only that they are nearby. The catch to Live is that after 90 days of use you have to pay a monthly fee of £8 to keep using it. Roaming isn't currently supported, so Live services work only in the country of purchase.

The 740 has an enhanced version of IQ Routes and the Lane Guidance system introduced with the Go x30 series. The voice- recognition system has been extended, too, allowing you to command numerous functions verbally, although we found this less polished than Garmin's.

There isn't enough space here to talk about all the Go 740 Live's features, but there's no doubt that the Live system works well and is money well spent if you do a lot of driving.